Gifts Brighten Holiday Spirits for Military

[darrels joy]

Gifts Brighten Holiday Spirits for Military
By ADRIANA JANOVICH
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC


Their Christmas list might sound a little strange this year ? beef jerky and Otter pops, socks and children's artwork.

But thanks to the efforts of a Lower Valley veterans group, the wishes of the Yakima-based 907th Engineer Detachment will be granted.

Grandview's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6929 is adopting the 25-member Army Reserve unit, which was activated last December and is stationed in the Middle East.

Though small in size, the detachment, part of the 70th Regional Readiness Command, has a big job: firefighting and crash rescues. It's made up of 24 men and one woman. And one-third of its members hail from the Yakima Valley.

"We're a small post, and they're a small unit," says VFW Post 6929 commander Danny Schultz of Grandview. "We just thought it was a good idea."

All told, the Grandview veterans group, including its women's auxiliary, has about 300 members who are busy collecting donations. Other items troops asked for include movies, books, gum, Chapstick, candy and letters. Those items will be packaged and shipped next week in order to arrive in time for Christmas.

"They're a really small group," says Molly Beghtol, who joined the women's auxiliary about six months ago. "We just wanted to do what we could for them."

The length of the mobilization is 18 months, but that time may lengthen or shorten depending on requirements. For information about how to donate, call Grandview VFW Post 6929 at 882-1058.

The Grandview VFW post isn't the only group making an effort to help troops stationed overseas this holiday season.

On Monday, the 20 members of the Yakima-based Lavender Ladies chapter of the Red Hat Society donated a pickup load of items. With help from the Family Assistance Center in Yakima, those goods will be shipped to the Yakima-based 181st Support Battalion's Bravo Company and Pasco's Alpha Company 1/303rd Armor, both part of the Washington Army National Guard's 81st Armor Brigade, which is halfway through an 18-month deployment in the Middle East.

Donations included pencils, pens, paper, envelopes, stamps, batteries, shaving cream, deodorant, peanuts, decks of cards, Christmas decorations, and games, like crossword puzzles.

"We were just hoping that other groups would catch on and do it, too," said Yvonne Wilbur, a member of the chapter.

While the shipment will be sent this week, the assistance center is accepting donations through Dec. 31 for future care packages. For more information on how to donate, contact the center at 469-4640.